
You turn on the Roomba. Only to find out it hasn’t charged.
Frustrating, right?
But hey… It can be tricky to check whether your Roomba is charging or not.
Plus, there’re many Roomba models. Which all work differently.
“So, how can I tell if my Roomba is charging or not?”
Continue reading to find out:
- How to tell if Roomba is charging.
- Easy fixes to try if your Roomba isn’t charging.
- What light indicators you’ll see while charging.
- What are the different battery status indicators.
- And that’s only the beginning…
How to tell if Roomba is charging?
You can tell if a Roomba is charging through its light indicators. Green light means charging, but the power light only turns on for a minute for Roomba 700, 800, and 900 series. Indicator lights of newer models like the i7 and i7+ stay on when plugged into the power cord.
Roomba battery status indicators (all models)
Let’s talk lights.
Flashing. Steady. Swirling. Pulsing.
These are all the existing indicators of your Roomba’s battery.
Green, red, white, and amber are specific colors that tell how your Roomba feels.
Basically, these are your Roomba’s ways of communicating with you (battery-wise).
And together, they point out:
Green
Your Roomba’s battery is full.
Red
The battery is drained, and your Roomba needs charging.
Amber
The battery is discharged partially.
Flashing red
The battery is running out.
Quick pulsing amber
The Roomba has to be charged for at least 16 hours and is on a refresh charging cycle.
Flashing amber/white
The Roomba battery’s charging is not complete.
As mentioned previously, different Roomba models show various light indicators as well.
“Isn’t that a bit overwhelming?”
It is.
So, to keep it simple and easy to understand, I provided a battery status indicator below:
Roomba Model | Charging | Light during charging | No battery | Low battery | Fully charged | Partially charged | Software update |
500 series | Amber pulse | Pulsing(every 4 sec) | Amber pulse | Red | Green | Amber | No software update |
600 series | Amber pulse | Pulsing(every 4 sec) | Amber pulse | Red | Green | Amber | No software update |
700 series | Amber pulse | Turns on for only 60 sec | Red | Red | Green | None | No software update |
800 series | Amber pulse | Turns on for only 60 sec | Red | Red | Green | None | No software update |
900 series | Amber pulse | Turns on for only 60 sec | Red | Red | Green | None | No software update |
i3 and i3+ | Blinking white | No | Red | Amber pulse | White | Not available | White swirl |
i7 and i7+ | Blinking white | Yes | Red | Amber pulse | White | Not available | White swirl |
Note: The Roomba series 700, 800, and 900 have no partial charge indicator. The i3, i3+, i7, and i7+ have no partial charge option at all.

Based on this table, you can quickly tell what the Roomba light indicators mean.
For models that don’t have light indicators during charging, you can check the battery status by:
- Pressing the CLEAN button.
- Checking the battery status display.
Warning: Red flashing light while charging means your battery has a problem. You need to address this immediately.
Often, this also indicates you have to replace the battery. Thankfully, it’s easy to buy replacement packs.
You can get a cheaper, higher-capacity third-party battery. Or get an official iRobot battery.
Note: The use of third-party batteries can void your iRobot warranty.
You might also like: How Long Do Roombas Last? 5 Tips To Extend The Battery Life
People also ask:
Does Roomba light stay on when charging?
The light stays on during charging if you have a Roomba i7 or i7+.
But the charging light indicator for Roomba 500 and 600 series shows pulsing amber light every 4 seconds.
For the Roomba 700, 800, and 900 series, the charging light turns on initially for 60 seconds only.
Newer Roomba models like the i3 and i3+ don’t have a light indicator that shows their charging status.
“Why are they all different?”
Modern Roombas have energy-saving features. That’s why, the robot vacuum and the Home Base don’t have steady charging light indicators as well.
“Okay. Then how do I know if my Roomba is charging?”
Press the CLEAN button to check the battery level, which you can see on the screen display.
Or check battery status via the iRobot Home app.
iRobot’s newest update allows users to control ring light behaviors during charging.
Watch this video to get more ideas about the Roomba’s battery indicators:
Should green light be on when Roomba is charging?
The green light indicator shouldn’t be on during charging.
Green light indicator only shows that your Roomba is fully-charged and ready to use.
When your Roomba is in the Home Base, it will briefly light the green light indicator.
If you plug in the Home Base, the power light will blink.
This shows that you’ve connected to a power source.
What do you do if your Roomba won’t charge?
If the Roomba doesn’t charge, it’s best to check if the charging points and Home Base are clean.
You should also check for faulty outlets, charging systems, and defective batteries, in case your Roomba isn’t charging.
This kind of error can easily switch on someone’s panic button.
“Oh, no! I think my Roomba is not charging at all.”
I understand the panic.
After all, dead Roombas can’t clean rooms.
But before you hop on to the anxiety train, remember that everything can be fixed.
There’s nothing to worry about! Troubleshooting is easy.
Here’s how:
Clean the charging points
A lot of dirt gets piled up after each time your Roomba completes a home vacuuming run.
Dirt and gunk can get trapped on the charging and contact points.
Clean these parts with a microfiber cloth and a little rubbing alcohol.
Clean the Home Base
While you’re at it, clean the docking station too!
You will be surprised how much dirt accumulates in the connection ports of the Home Base as well.
Your Roomba should charge without a problem in a clean Home Base.
Check the outlet and the charger
Obviously, your power outlet and charger should work properly so your Roomba can charge.
Try plugging in another appliance to the outlet to see if it works.
And change your charging cable if it doesn’t work.
Replace the batteries
Faulty batteries cause problems with charging.
If you’ve been using your Roomba for a while, the batteries may need a replacement.
Follow these steps to replace your battery:
- Flip your Roomba to its back.
- Loosen the screws using a screwdriver.
- Remove the old batteries.
- Put in a fresh set of batteries.
- Reassemble.